HJBR Mar/Apr 2025

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE I  MAR / APR 2025 53 For weekly eNews updates and to read the journal online, visit HealthcareJournalBR.com Woman’s Hospital Announces NewChief Operating Officer, Foundation forWoman’s New Chief Philanthropy Officer Woman’s Hospital announced that Lesley Til- ley, DNP, RN, NE-BC, is Woman’s new executive vice president and chief operating officer, and Ali Landry, CFRE, joins as the president and chief phi- lanthropy officer for the Foundation for Woman’s. “I am looking forward to working with both Les- ley and Ali who bring exceptional expertise and leadership to their new roles,” said Rene Ragas, president and CEO of Woman’s Hospital. “There is no doubt they will be invaluable to furthering our mission and building on our efforts to address some of the most serious challenges facing our community and state.” Tilley has 30 years of experience in the health- care industry. Most recently, she served as regional vice president of operations at Our Lady of the Lake Health. “Woman’s is well respected for its long history of delivering excellent and compas- sionate care to patients, and I am grateful for the opportunity to become part of this outstanding team,” said Tilley. Landry previously served as chief executive offi- cer at Louisiana Key Academy. In her new role, she will advance the philanthropic mission of the Foundation for Woman’s through strategic and collaborative leadership. “The profound impact of Woman’s Hospital throughout our area and state is unmatched. It is an honor to join this team and work with such generous supporters who value its dedication to serving our community,” said Landry. Ochsner Eat Fit Challenges to Go # AlcoholFreefor40 Registration is open for Ochsner Eat Fit and its annual Alcohol Free for 40 Challenge starting March 6, the Thursday after Ash Wednesday. The challenge will come after a season of cele- bratory drinks and parties spanning from Christ- mas, New Year’s, and Mardi Gras. To encourage Louisianans to take a break from alcohol and make it their own self-experiment, the Alcohol Free for 40 Challenge has registrants monitor their prog- ress and measure their results. The Alcohol Free for 40 Challenge can lead to better sleep, increased energy, and improved focus within days. On average, participants in the challenge lose four pounds of body fat, reduce cholesterol by 13 points, lower triglycerides by 28 points, and improve systolic blood pressure. To support participants in abstaining from alco- hol, this challenge provides resources, education, and support needed to benefit from this “wellness spring cleaning.” “Whether it’s an official ‘resolution’ or more of a wellness reset, the start of the new year is time for reflection on being our best version of ourselves. This challenge allows us to succeed at doing just that,” said Molly Kimball, RD, CSSD, founder of Ochsner Eat Fit and Alcohol Free For 40. Alcohol Free for 40 is launching statewide with kickoff events in six cities: New Orleans, Coving- ton, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Shreveport, and Monroe. Visit OchsnerEatFit.com to learn more about the challenge and other ways to stay healthy. FMOLHS President and CEO, E.J. Kuiper, named ‘CEO Influencer to Know’ by Becker’s Hospital Review Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System (FMOLHS) President and CEO, E.J. Kuiper, was recently recognized as one of the 64 CEO Influencers to Know for 2024 by Becker’s Hospital Review. “We are extremely proud to celebrate E.J. for his visionary leadership and commitment to both clinical and operational excellence,” said Hunter Richardson, EVP, chief administrative officer. Kuiper has over two decades of leadership experience in Catholic healthcare and oversees the $4 billion health system and its over 18,000 team members. Becker’s Hospital Review editorial team accepted nominations for this list and curated it to highlight the accomplishments of the leaders included. Baton Rouge General Mid City Celebrates 75th Anniversary In January, Baton Rouge General announced the celebration of 75 years at its Mid City cam- pus. On Jan. 30, 1950, an estimated 20,000 peo- ple gathered to mark the opening of the new, much larger hospital in the heart of the city on Florida Blvd. That morning, history was made as 19 patients were transported by ambulance to the new 250-bed facility so that the staff could seam- lessly continue their work of providing the best care for patients. From 1927 until the Jan. 30 opening of the new campus, BRG operated as a 62-bed hospital at 929 Government Street, the current location of Guaranty Media Group. Prior to that, the hospital was housed in a three-story brick building at 315 Florida Street called The Sanitarium. “Baton Rouge General is an essential part of the fabric of our community — from Mid City to downtown to North Baton Rouge and beyond — and our Mid City hospital holds a unique place in the heart of the city,” said BRG President and CEO Edgardo Tenreiro. “From the many locals who remember being born at this campus to the scores of nurses and physicians trained here, we are proud of the work we have done at Mid City for 75 years and plan to continue our mission of taking care of Baton Rouge for another 75.” Once in its new home on Florida Blvd., BRG became a pioneer, with many “firsts” in the areas of cardiology, cancer, burn care, and behavioral health, among others. Today, 1,200 employees work at Mid City, and last year over 75,000 patients were treated there. The hospital provides inpa- tient and critical care, emergency care, outpatient services like physical rehabilitation, imaging, pri- mary care, behavioral health, wound care, radia- tion oncology, and mobile health. It is also a hub for healthcare education, with both a School of Nursing and School of Radiologic Technology. BRG will celebrate 75 years at Mid City all year long, featuring street banners, staff celebrations and t-shirts, and a spring event for community partners and friends of BRG. E.J. Kuiper, President and CEO